Motor-vehicle.



W. CHRISTIE. MOTOR VEHICLE. AP'PLIUATION I'ILED JAN.26, 1910.

965,083.v Patented July 19, 1910.

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WITNESSES:

AW. CHRISTIE.

MOTOR VBHIGLE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-26, 1910. l 965,083. Patented Ju1y 19, 1910.

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l vwnNEssEs.:

INVENTOR UNITED STATES; PATENT oEEioE.

WALTER CHRISTIE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MOTOELVEHICLE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER CniiisTiE, a citizen of the United States of America., and a resident of VNew York, county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Motor- Vehicles, of which Athe following is a speciication, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

This invention' relates to improvements in motor vehicles, and particularly to improvements in the driving and steering means therefor, and it consists essentially in a novel form and construction of means whereby driving and steering movements may be eti'ected through the same wheels.

In carrying out my invention, I -mount the Wheels in rotatable carriers, and connect the carriers so that they rotate together, the rotational movements thereof acting to deflect the wheels for steering purposes, and I arrange for driving the wheels through mechanism including a power transmitting element mounted concentrically with respect to the said carriers, whereby the rotative movements of the carrier will not atfect the driving movements of the wheels in any way. Such a construction is highly advantageous as it dispenses with the complicated universal joint' connections otherwise necessary, and furthermore, it permits the wheels to be deiiected to any extent whereby the vehicle may be turned in an arc having a short radius.

Further advantages of my invention are extreme simplicity oi" construction, low cost of manufacture, accessibility of the parts, a great reduction of the Vspace ordinarily occupied by the mechanism, and the eoncentration of all the mechanism tonne part of the vehicle, -L

My invention also consists in certainnovel details of construction and combinations of parts as will hereinafter be t'ully pointed out, and in order that my invention may be thoroughly understood, I willI now proceed to describe a motor "chicle constituting an embodiment ot my invention, lhaving reference toI the accompanying drawings illustrating the same, and will then point out the novel features in claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a top view of a truck provided with a driving and steering mechanism constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a viewin side Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 26, 1910.

Patented July 19, 1910. serial No. 540,121. i

elevation of the saine. Fig. 3 is a part front view and a view partly in central transverse section through one of the combined front. and steering driving wheels;

The vehicle includes a supporting frame 10, rear Wheels 11, and front Wheels V12. In

-the present drawings I have shown ,no vehicle body upon the frame because the same constitutes no part of my invention. The vehicle body may be of any desired form,

-and in particular, as the present constructiony :is Well adapted to trucks, the body -may conveniently be of any suitable truck body form. Near the front end of the vehicle is a drivers seat 13, andconveniently disposed with respect thereto is a steering wheel 14.

In the present construction the rear wheels are mere trailers, both driving and steering being accomplished through the medium of' the front wheels 1Q. Each ot these wheelsis mounted indel'iendently upon a short axle 15 mounted to rotatein suitable bearings u oiia carrier comprising a yoke 16 which stra dles the wheel and a head 17 limited vertical movement is permitted between the said head and the yoke portionsof the carrier, a sliding connection being formed by pins 1S carried by the yoke and tubes 19 carried by the head, the said head being supported upon the yoke by means of supporting springs 20. The sliding connection limits the relative movement of the two parts to relative vertical movements, the two parts moving otherwise as Ia unit. The head por tion of the carrier is mounted in a turret 21 secured to, or formed as a part of, the frame 10. The said turret is provided with a portion 22whicli acts as a bearing for a hub 23 upon the head 17, and the said turret also rests upony a flange Q4 with which the head is provided, the exterior of tlie fiange havin gear teeth 25 whereby the said flange an teeth constitute a gear wheel. The gear wheels 25-25 of the two'carrier heads are rotativel y connected together through an intermediate idler gear Wheel 26, the said ,connectioncausing the rotative movements o f one carrier ,to be partaken of by the other in the saine direction and to the same extent. The wheels 12lbeing carried by'th'e carriers the rotative movements of the said carriers will cause vthe said wheels to turn one Way or the other, .whereby to impart steering movements to the vehicle. The steering wheel 111 is connected vthrough any suitablegear or sprocket connections with th said carriers 'whereby the steering will be et'ected by manipulation of the said wheel.

.Each of the turrets 21 supports an electric motor 27 the shaft 28 whereof carries a driving pinion 29. The said driving pinion is arranged in mesh with a spur 'gear' 30 mounted in suitable bearings 31 carried by the yoke 16. Secured to rotate with the sprocket 30 is a bevel gear pinion 32, the teeth of which are disposed in mesh with a r.bevel gear wheel 33 carried by the wheel 12.

` Driving movements` are imparted to each wheel 12rom its motor 27 through the shaft 28 and gear 29 thereof, the spur gear 30, and -the bevel gear pinion 32, to the bevel spur gear 33. The shaft 28 being concentric with the axis of rotation of the carrier the rotative movements applied thereto for steering purposes will in nowise affect the driving connection. The relative vertical movements between the carrier, yoke, and head are provided for by elongating tliepinion 29 (see Fig. 3), thereby permitting the pinion 29 and spur wheel 30 to slide relatively to each other for a considerable distance while remaining properly in mesh.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I provide an exceedingly simple and inexpen sive structure to constitute the driving and steering means of a motor vehicle furthen more, the construction produces both front driving and front steering, such as is of great advantage both in the control of the vehicle and in the eliiciency of driving power attained. Such a construction is, iurthermore, peculiarly adapted for truck work, for the 'reason that it takes up but a minimum of -room and leaves the body portion entirely free and clear of all mechanism. The frame and rear wheels of a standard truck may beemployed, if desired, the turret portions and parts secured thereto being attached to the front portion of the frame.

The batteries may be conveniently vthe rear'of the front wheels as appears yin Fig. 2 of the drawings, and the motors are conveniently disposed beneath the drivers seat.

The advantages of this form of steering will be immediatelyl apparent to anyone skilled in the art. In the ordinary type of motor vehicle the steering wheels can be deiected but to acomparatively slight de ree, and as the modern tendency is toward a ong wheel base,-especially in trucks-such a vehicle requires a very large radius to turn in. Very few motor vehicles today can be turned in a single operation in a city street; they require to be worked backward and forward and so gradually turned, thereby blocking the street during the operation. In the construction of my present invention the wheels can be deiiectid to any extent; in

fact, their carriers may be completely roparts,

located to sance tated. Thus, the vehicle may be turned com pletely in a radius of less than twice its own length in a single operation.

I have shown the vehicle as provided with a pair of front driving and steering wheels,

lbut of course it is obvious that one of them may be omitted and the other one placed in the center wit-hout any other change and an extremely simple and inexpensive form of three-wheel truck will result, or, ii pie ferred, I may employ more than two wheels, as obviously any number may be placed side by side, and such construction and arrange ment of parts mighthave some advantages for exceedingly large and heavy trucks.

`What I claim is:

1. In a motor Vehicle, the combination with a-steering wheel, of a carrier therefor comprising two parts-one carrying ings for the wheel, and the other part journaled in a bearing above the wheel to rotate about an axis at right angles to the axis of rotation 'of the wheel ,-the two paits being arranged in sliding relation with each other wherebyI they may move relatively in one direction but are otherwise. secured together, spring means disposed betweenv the two means for imparting movements of rotation to the carrier about its axis for steering purposes, and means for imparting driving movements to the wheel.

2. In a motor vehicle, the combination with a steering wheel, of a carrier therefor comprising two paits,-oiie carrying bearings for lthe wheel, and the other part onrnaled in a bearing above the wheel to rotate aboutr an axis at right angles to the axis of rotation of the wlieel,the two parts being arranged in sliding relation with each other whereby they may move relatively in one direction but are otherwise secured together, spring means disposed between the two parts, means for imparting movements of rotation to the carrier about its axis ltor steering purposes, and means for imparting driving movements to the wheel, including a part mounted to rotate concentrically with the axis of rotation of the carrier.

3. In a motor vehicle, the combination with a steering wheel, oa carrier therefor comprising two parts,-one carrying bearings for the wheel, and the other part Yjouriialed in a bearing above the wheel to rotate about an axis at right angles to the axis of: rotation of the wheel,the two parts being arranged in sliding relation with each other whereby they may inove relatively in one direction but are otherwise secured together, spring means disposed between the two parts, means for imparting movements of rotation to the carrier about its axis iior steering purposes, a power transmitting clement disposed axially in a line with the axis of rotation of the carrier, and gearing between the said power transmitting element bearico and the said wheel, for transmitting driving movements from the one to the other.

4e In a motor vehicle, the combination with a steering wheel, of a carrier therefor comprising a yoke provided with bearings for the wheel and a head disposed in sliding relation with the yoke, springs between the head and. yoke, a turret for receiving the said head, and in which the same is mounted to rotate about an axis at right angles to the axis of rotation of the wheel, a power transmitting shaft arranged axially in line with the axis of rotation of the carrier, an intermediate shaft. mounted parallel thereto in bearings upon the yoke portion of the carrier, gearing between the two said shafts, gearing between the said intern'ierliate shaft and the driving wheel, and means for iniparting movenlents of rotation to the carrier for steering purposes.

In a motor vehicle, the combination with a combined driving and steering wheel, of a carrier therefor comprising two parts, one in the form of a yoke 'hich straddles the wheel and has bearings therefor upon either side thereof and the other a head mounted to rotate about a vertical axis which intersects the axis of the wheel and the tread thereof, the two said parts having vertical coengaging .slides and guideways between them on both sides of the said wheel, springs between the two said carrier parts, a frame member in which the said carrier head is rotatably mounted about the axis aforesaid, means for imparting movements of rotation to the carrier about its axis for steering purposes, and means for imparting driving nioif'ements to the wheel.

GQ In a motor vehicle, the combination with a combined driving and steering wheel, of a carrier therefor comprising two parts, one in the forni of a volte which stradd'les the Wheel and has bearings therefor upon either side thereof, and the other a head mounted to rotate about a vertical axis which intersects the axis of the wheel and thetread thereof, the two said parts having vertical ceengaging slides and guideways between, them on both sides of the said wheel, springs between the tivo said carrier parts,a turret in which the said farrier head is rotatably mounted about the axis, the said turret and head having coengaging hubs constituting a radial bearing and coengaging peril'iheral I flanges constituting an end thrustor step beariiig, means for ini parting movements of rotation to the carrier about its axis for steering purposes, and means for imparting driving movements to the Wl1eel.

7. In a motor vehicle, the combination with a combined driving and steering Wheel, of a carrier therefor comprising two parts, one in the form of a yoke which straddles the wheel and has bearings therefor upon either side thereof and the other a head mounted to rttate about a vertical axis which intersects the axis of the wheel and the tread thereof, the two said parts having vertical coengaging slides and guideways4 between them on both sides of the said wheel, springs between the t-ivo said carrier parts, a frame member in which the said carrier head is rotatably mounted about the axis aforesaid., a motor mounted upon the said frame member, a gear wheel arranged concentrically with the vertical axis of the carrier head and driven by the said motor, a. vertical shaft mounted upon the carrier, the axis thereof being parallel with the vertical axis of the carrier head, a gear Wheel upon the said shaft in gear with the first said gear wheel, inter-meshing gear wheels upon the said shaft and driving Wheel, and means for .imparting movements of rot-ation to the carrier about its axis for steering purposes.

S. ln a motor vehicle, the combination with a pair of combined driving and steering wheels, of carriers*therefor each comprising two parts, one in the form of a voke which straddles the wheel and has bearings therefor upon either side thereof, and the other a head mounted to rotate about a vertical axis which intersects the axis of the wheel supported thereby, and the tread of the said Wheel, the tvo said parts having vertical coengaging slides and guideways be-V tween them upon both sides of the said wheel, springs between the said carrier parts, a frame including l said carrier heads are mounted about the vertical axes aforesaid, peripheral gear teeth carried by the said carrier heads, an intermediate idler gear wheel in mesh With both sets of gear teeth, a manual steering member, a gear Wheel carried thereby, in mesh with the. said intermediate idler gear Wheel, and means for imparting drivingmovements to the said driving wheels.

WALTER C HRL1 TIF. Witnesses:

llnxnr HnwLnrr .lRnDwnLL, TvV. HOWARD HAYWOOD.

two turrets in which the v 

